April 2010

April 30, 2010

We should all have a 'go to pasta' recipe for those nights when all creative ideas elude us or when a dinner party reveals one pesky guest who forgot to let us know that he was well - a vegetarian.

It also helps when the recipe is creamy, delicious and just plain ol' lip smackin' good.

Now I hate to sound like one of those health commercials but to the great taste, add the health benefits of whole grain pasta which offers two types of fiber and a host of vitamins & minerals & I say we have a keeper.

Let me tell you, I am working just as hard as the next person trying to increase the amount of whole grains we eat on a daily basis but neither do I want to compromise on the taste. I simply can't stand food that tastes like a bowl of hay no matter what the health benefits!

Which is why this recipe is such a staple in my kitchen.

It's been with me since my good old student days - back then I'd fix this with just any 'on sale' pasta, (as long as we had good wine...smiles...)

But when I tried this with whole grain pasta, I was so floored with the results and the fact that my kids went for seconds that it keeps making an appearance again and again on my dinner table.

Red Bell Peppers - Wash, remove the top, halves and discard all membranes and seeds. Place skin side up on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Spray the foil with non-stick cooking spray before placing the peppers.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the skin is black & blistered. Remove from the oven. Immediately place in a zip lock bag for approx 10 minutes till the peppers have cooled and shriveled up. Remove the skin. Slice the peppers into thin slices and set aside retaining all the juices.

Basil - Wash, separate leaves from the stem. Roll up the leaves and finely slice into thin stripes i.e. chiffonade. Do not cut basil for garnish till the very end.

Yellow Onion - Peel and thinly slice the onion. Set aside.

Green Onions - Discard root tip and leaves. Shop into thin circles.

Garlic - Peel & crush

Sun dried tomatoes - If you are using the tomatoes from a jar, remove the tomatoes from the jar. Do not use liquid.Slice the tomatoes into 1/4 strips i.e. julienne

Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese - Grate the cheese and set aside. Do not shave slices for garnish till the very end.

Follow the directions on the pasta package and set out the water to boil with 1 tbs salt in a pasta pot. While you prepare the sauce, cook the pasta following the package directions till al dente. Drain the pasta & set aside.

In a saute pan, heat olive oil on medium heat till fuming. Add the garlic and as soon as it begins to brown in a few seconds, add the sliced onion. Saute for about 3 minutes till soft but not brown. It will have just begun to caramelize.

Red Bell Peppers -
Wash, remove the top, halves and discard all membranes and seeds.
Place skin side up on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Spray
the foil with non-stick cooking spray before placing the peppers.

Bake
for 20-25 minutes or until the skin is black & blistered. Remove
from the oven. Immediately place in a zip lock bag for approx 10
minutes till the peppers have cooled and shriveled up. Remove the skin.
Slice the peppers into thin slices and set aside retaining all the
juices.

Basil - Wash, separate leaves from the stem. Roll up the leaves and finely slice into thin stripes i.e. chiffonade. Do not cut basil for garnish till the very end.

Yellow Onion - Peel and thinly slice the onion. Set aside.

Green Onions - Discard root tip and leaves. Shop into thin circles.

Garlic - Peel & crush

Sun dried tomatoes -
If you are using the tomatoes from a jar, remove the tomatoes from the
jar. Do not use liquid.Slice the tomatoes into 1/4 strips i.e. julienne

Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese - Grate the cheese and set aside. Do not shave slices for garnish till the very end.

Spaghetti - Follow
the directions on the pasta package and set out the water to boil with
1 tbs salt in a pasta pot. While you prepare the sauce, cook the pasta
following the package directions till al dente. Drain the pasta & set aside.

In
a saute pan, heat olive oil on medium heat till fuming. Add the garlic
and as soon as it begins to brown in a few seconds, add the sliced
onion. Saute for about 3 minutes till soft but not brown.

April 26, 2010

There are people in this world who are big on stuffing - they stuff green peppers, red peppers, mushrooms, cabbage - you name it! If there's a vegetable to be stuffed, they're the first in line to do it.

I'm not one of them.

In fact, for the longest time I would listen and sometimes avail to all kinds of suggestions from co-workers about filling bell peppers with potatoes, mushrooms, cheese, rice - brown rice, wild rice, leftover rice, you name it and in the end what a waste - it did absolutely nothing for me!

Little did I know that in a small neighborhood French Bistro in Virginia I was going to be pleasantly surprised. It was in Chez Max that I had these delightful little stuffed courgettes & tomatoes - with Italian sausage and mire poix - a combination of onions, celery & carrots among other things.

And for the first time I actually liked stuffed vegetables.

Now, I'd be lying if I told you they're part of my weekly or monthly repertoire. However, occasionally when the mood strikes and I have some extra time to spare, I do make these wonderful whimsical stuffed vegetables. So pretty are they to look at that you almost don't want to eat them!

And so much better than stuffed bell peppers, I think.

Great as a first course when entertaining because their vibrant colors make such a pretty presentation. But because there is some preparation & time involved, I usually make these as the main dinner course and serve with a riz pilaf on the side.

Now, I have no way of knowing Chez Max's recipe but thanks to 'Le Cordon Bleu at Home' here is a version thatdoes the job pretty well!

Zucchinis - Cut the ends off the zucchini and cut of both ends. Reserve the top & bottom bits to be used later. Cut crosswise into " lengths - for me that meant each zucchini needed to be cut into 3 parts.

Cook's Note - Make sure you have 2 zucchini barrels and 2 tomatoes per person for a main course. You can halve that for a first course.

Scoop the flesh out from the barrels using a melon baller or as in my case I'm using a very small spoon (smaller than teaspoon) leaving 1/4" thick walls around the sides and at the bottom.

Set the scooped zucchini meat aside to be chopped up and used later. Sprinkle each of the barrel interiors with 1/8 tsp salt divided between 2 barrels and lay them inverted onto a rack or a parchment lined baking tray so they can drain out some of the moisture.

Tomatoes - Slice the top third from the tomatoes and reserve the tops. Scrape out the seeds and discard. Each tomato also has a core and reserve the core to be chopped up and used later. Sprinkle each of the tomato interiors with 1/8 tsp salt divided between 2 tomatoes and lay them inverted onto a rack or a parchment lined baking tray so they can drain out some of the moisture.

While the vegetables are draining, begin on the stuffing -

Cut off the crusts from the bread slices and soak the bread slices in milk - set aside.

Shallots - Peel, cut of ends and discard.

Garlic cloves - Peel & discard skin.

In a mini chopper (please use a mini-chopper or food processor for this recipe or you will chopping till kingdom come!) add the peeled shallots and peeled garlic cloves.Pulse until finely chopped but not mushy.

Heat butter in a saute pan and add the shallots. Cook on medium heat until soft but not brown, about 7-10 minutes.

Add the bulk sausage meat and stir constantly breaking up the sausage mass as best you can. Saute for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, crack an egg in a small bowl. Discards shells and beat the eggs with a fork. Squeeze the milk out of the bread between your palms and add the bread to the sauteed sausage. Stir till blended.

Turn off the heat and add the egg and stir constantly so the eggs are blended and don't turn into lumps of scrambled eggs in a corner of the pan.

Zucchini barrels -

Bring 4 cups of water to boil in a sauce pan. Add the zucchini barrels and blanch for 5 minutes. Remove and drain inverted on a rack. Set aside to cool. Chop up the scooped up zucchini meat and tomato cores as fine as you can. Keep separate.

Divide the sausage mixture into equal quantities & then transfer 3 tbs from 1 part to the other. To the large sausage pile add chopped tomato cores. To the other pile add half the chopped zucchini meat discarding the remaining zucchini meat.

Base of cooked vegetables -

Onion - Peel and quarter

Carrot - Peel & cut into chunks

Celery - Cut off the leaves and white section at the bottom. Cut the remaining length into chunks.

Leek - Cut away root tip and use only the white part - reserve the tops for chicken stock or use in soups

Garlic cloves - Peel & discard skin.

In a mini chopper add all the above ingredients and chop till very fine but not mushy.

In a saute pan on medium heat add oil and heat. Add butter and once it melts add the chopped ingredients. Saute till soft but not brown, about 7-10 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and blend. Add salt, pepper and white wine. Simmer for about 5 minutes.

Empty to a baking dish with a flat bottom and spread out with a spatula. Set aside to cool.

Preheat the oven to 400 deg F

Assembly -

Bring forward the sausage stuffing - one with the zucchini & the other with the tomatoes. Also bring forward the vegetable barrels.

Using a small spoon or melon baller fill the vegetables till the stuffing is a mound over each vegetable top. Place the vegetables over the cooked vegetable base in the baking dish. Keep separate & upright.

Sprinkle 1/8 tsp Parmesan cheese on top of each stuffed vegetable barrel.

Place the reserved tops on the vegetable barrels. Some of the zucchinis will not have a top.

With a pastry brush, apply some olive oil on each of the tops. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 deg F and bake in the hot oven for 40 minutes.

During the baking process some the tomatoes and zucchinis may settle or topple over. Just straighten them during the plating process.

To plate, spoon & spread some of the vegetable base at the bottom and place stuffed vegetables per person. Serve 2 zucchinis & 2 tomatoes per person as a main or 1 of each as a first course. Serve with the tops intact.

The stuffing is savory and delicious with the roasted vegetables. Though I used Italian sausage I think this would also work very well with the numerous gourmet sausage selections available in the market. The cooked vegetable base provides a smooth and flavorful balance to the roasted vegetables and the stuffing.

I also think that when yellow squash is in season, I'll fix these with again because I suspect the sweetness of the yellow squash will pair quite nicely with a slightly spicy stuffing.

Though the dish is time consuming and has involves numerous steps I really do like fixing this occasionally when the inclination strikes.

So pretty are these lovelies, they're almost too good to eat.....until your tummy growls that is!

Recipe for

STUFFED COURGETTES & TOMATOES

Adapted from the recipe in ' Le Cordon Bleu at Home'

Preparation time - 1 hr - 20 minutes

Cooking time - 40 minutes

Serves 4 as a main/8 as first course

Shopping list:

3 medium zucchini

1/8 tsp salt/2 vegetable barrels

8 Roma tomatoes

Stuffing

2 slices bread

3/4 cup milk

1 tbs unsalted butter

3 shallots

1/2 lb bulk sausage meat, no casings

1 egg slightly beaten

2 garlic cloves

Base of cooked vegetables

2 tbs unsalted butter

1 tbs vegetable oil

1 medium onion

1/2 large carrot

1 large leek

1 stalk celery

2 tbs tomato paste

2 garlic cloves

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1 cup dry white wine

2 tbs grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation -

Prepare the vegetable barrels-

Zucchinis
- Cut the ends off the zucchini and cut of both ends. Reserve the top
& bottom bits to be used later. Cut crosswise into " lengths - for
me that meant each zucchini needed to be cut into 3 parts.

Cook's Note - Make sure you have 2 zucchini barrels and 2 tomatoes per person for a main course. You can halve that for a first course.

Scoop
the flesh out from the barrels using a melon baller or as in my case
I'm using a very small spoon (smaller than teaspoon) leaving 1/4" thick
walls around the sides and at the bottom.

Set
the scooped zucchini meat aside to be chopped up and used later.
Sprinkle each of the barrel interiors with 1/8 tsp salt divided between
2 barrels and lay them inverted onto a rack or a parchment lined baking
tray so they can drain out some of the moisture.

Tomatoes - Slice
the top third from the tomatoes and reserve the tops. Scrape out the
seeds and discard. Each tomato also has a core and reserve the core to
be chopped up and used later. Sprinkle
each of the tomato interiors with 1/8 tsp salt divided between 2
tomatoes and lay them inverted onto a rack or a parchment lined baking
tray so they can drain out some of the moisture.

While the vegetables are draining, begin on the stuffing -

Bread slices - Cut off the crusts from the bread slices and soak the bread slices in milk - set aside.

Shallots - Peel, cut of ends and discard.

Garlic cloves - Peel & discard skin.

In
a mini chopper add the peeled shallots
and peeled garlic cloves. Pulse until finely chopped but not mushy.

Base of cooked vegetables -

Onion - Peel and quarter

Carrot - Peel & cut into chunks

Celery - Cut off the leaves and white section at the bottom. Cut the remaining length into chunks.

Leek - Cut away root tip and use only the white part - reserve the tops for chicken stock or use in soups

Garlic cloves - Peel & discard skin.

In a mini chopper add all the above ingredients and chop till very fine but not mushy.

Cooking method-

Heat butter in a saute pan and add the shallots. Cook on medium heat until soft but not brown, about 7-10 minutes.

Add the bulk sausage meat and stir constantly breaking up the sausage mass as best you can. Saute for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile,
crack an egg in a small bowl. Discards shells and beat the eggs with a
fork. Squeeze the milk out of the bread between your palms and add the
bread to the sauteed sausage. Stir till blended.

Turn
off the heat and add the egg and stir constantly so the eggs are
blended and don't turn into lumps of scrambled eggs in a corner of the
pan.

Zucchini barrels -

Bring
4 cups of water to boil in a sauce pan. Add the zucchini barrels and
blanch for 5 minutes. Remove and drain inverted on a rack. Set aside to
cool. Chop up the scooped up zucchini meat and tomato cores as fine as
you can. Keep separate.

Divide
the sausage mixture into equal quantities & then transfer 3 tbs
from 1 part to the other. To the large sausage pile add chopped tomato
cores. To the other pile add half the chopped zucchini meat discarding
the remaining zucchini meat.

Base of cooked vegetables -

In
a saute pan on medium heat add oil and heat. Add butter and once it
melts add the chopped ingredients from the mini-chopper. Saute till soft but not brown, about
7-10 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and blend. Add salt, pepper and
white wine. Simmer for about 5 minutes.

Empty to a baking dish with a flat bottom and spread out with a spatula. Set aside to cool.

Preheat the oven to 400 deg F

Assembly & Baking method-

Bring
forward the sausage stuffing - one with the zucchini & the other
with the tomatoes. Also bring forward the vegetable barrels.

Using
a small spoon or melon baller fill the vegetables till the stuffing is
a mound over each vegetable top. Place the vegetables over the cooked
vegetable base in the baking dish. Keep separate & upright.

Sprinkle 1/8 tsp Parmesan cheese on top of each stuffed vegetable barrel.

Place the reserved tops on the vegetable barrels. Some of the zucchinis will not have a top.

With a pastry brush, apply some olive oil on each of the tops. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 deg F and bake in the hot oven for 40 minutes.

To Serve-

During
the baking process some the tomatoes and zucchinis may settle or topple
over. Just straighten them during the plating process.

To
plate, spoon & spread some of the vegetable base at the bottom and
place stuffed vegetables per person. Serve 2 zucchinis & 2 tomatoes
per person as a main or 1 of each as a first course. Serve with the
tops intact.

April 23, 2010

There are countless varieties and styles of Tandoori cooking. Unfortunately for most, if you have only ever eaten at a 'run of the mill' Indian restaurant here in the US, then you have probably tasted but one or two styles of tandoori cooking - doused in orange food coloring! With this recipe you are in for a welcome refreshing surprise!

It is hard to imagine that anyone would sink to their knees in rapturous delight at sight of chicken leg quarters on sale for $0.77 cents/lb. But then most people don't know that these humble chicken appendages are essential to preparing one of the finest fresh herb tandoori delicacies in the North Indian kabab repertoire! - Hariyali Tangdi kababs.

A direct translation of this dish - Hariyali Tangdi kabab - are leg (chicken)kababs in an abundance of greens & herbs. Quite honestly, there is no better explanation.

Traditionally, these & all North Indian kababs are cooked in a clay oven, known as tandoor. It used to cook everything from a variety of breads such as Naan & Tandoori roti to a vast selection of kababs which are marinated grilled meats, seafood & vegetables.

The traditional tandoor is a clay oven fired by charcoal. And despite an advent of modern contraptions it is nearly impossible to achieve the flavor & the aroma that comes from grilling in a traditional tandoor. However, in the modern kitchen, a gas grill, a gas broiler or charcoal grill do manage to produce fabulous results so we just may be able to overlook not having a charcoal tandoor in our kitchens!

If you are ever going to begin cooking wonderful mouthwatering kababs at home, I urge you begin with this one. With a whir of a mini-chopper, a little bit of planning for the marination, 20 minutes on a grill or broiler & you will be in culinary heaven. By the way, I do not recommend that you substitute with chicken breasts because they have a tendency to dry out.

Hariyali Tangdi kababs are also a marvelous dish to serve at a large party because you can produce massive amounts cheaply & quickly without anyone ever realizing that they are eating economical cuts of chicken as they will be so enthralled by its flavor. Promise!

Broiler - If using a baking stone, heat the stone for at least 10 minutes in the preheated broiler till very hot. Spray the baking stone or broiler pan with some non-stick baking spray. Place the chicken legs on the baking stone a broiler pan in a single layer.

Broil for 12 minutes. Brush the legs with some melted butter or ghee and turn over to the other side.

Cook for another 12 minutes or until both sides are a delicious brown.

April 20, 2010

Well, it feels like Christmas to me because when the knock on the door revealed the man-in-brown holding a rather large box, I was eager with anticipation at the possibility that it could very well be my coveted and awaited Emile Henry 9" pie dish. Hooray!

This is wonderful timing because it coincides with a conversation I've had with Leslie, one of the owners at the quaint Wildflower Cafe in Clearwater, Florida. They have a wonderfully idyllic neighborhood cafe tucked away which serves a wonderful breakfast, brunches and don't even get me started on their pies!

During a visit many years ago I still remember their excellent Chicken & Pecan pie was. Anyway, I got on the telephone and decided to ask for the recipe because I was pining for a slice and I don't think Mr. Hubby is interested in buying me a $544 air ticket any time soon!

As Leslie pointed out the recipe was also featured in their local newspaper.

Why is the timing providential? Because Pie meets Dish my friends!

For those of you who've hung out with me in the kitchen these last 3 months you probably know that where most women salivates over their Oscar de la Renta's, I salivate over my bake ware & cook ware and as far as I'm concerned Emile Henry& Mauvieltop my drool list!

I look past the detritus of my package opening session cluttered around me in a hope to get it cleaned up before Mr. Hubby comes in through the door and starts tsk-ing in displeasure. And finally revealed is this -

Wow! First thought, look how thick it is! My no-names pie dish that I've had for years tends to overcook my pies in spots & is half the thickness of this baby plus, I love the color! A beautiful glistening red, technically a 'cerise' - none of that 'can't quite put my finger on it - could go 2 shades this way or that way'.

I also love that beautiful scalloped edge which I think will be perfect homemade pies - reminiscent of the pinched edges, don't you think? And it can go from freezer to oven!

So lets get started and put the dish to good use so we can start digging into this.....

This I promise you, this pie is going to be on top of your list for holidays, brunches, potlucks, day after Thanksgiving & every other occasion that requires a stress-free fabulous dinner prepared in advance. You know why?

Because its even better, when you bake it, cool it, refrigerate it and then eat it! How great is that? Finally a dish that's made for us busy worker bees.

Also, absolutely brilliant with chutneys and marmalade (in fact I wouldn't advise you miss it for the world) I served it with my special Chutney de POM, Kumquats, Jalapeno & Ginger - the recipe for which is here but you can serve it with any favorite fruit chutney or marmalade of your choice.

The ingredients for this recipe can be divided into the filling & the pie crust (base & topping)

In a medium bowl, mix all the ingredients. Use a spatula or use your clean hands. Mix until all the ingredients are completely blended and a crumbly mixture is formed.

Use non-stick baking spray and generously spray the inside of the 9" pie dish - base and side walls.

Separate the mixture into 2 equal parts. Use one half for the base and set aside the other half for the topping.

Using clean hands, spread the mixture (the half for the base) as best you can and press along the sides and the walls so it of as uniform thickness as possible.

Keep pressing the mixture down so it stays in position.

Bake the pie base ion the preheated oven for 15 minutes. It will show only a slight browning but not considerable color difference.

Spoon all the contents of the filling into the baked base.

Sprinkle the other half of the crumb topping uniformly over the pie.

Place in the preheated oven for 45 minutes.

Do not open the oven door or mess with it in any way during the baking process.

And what you get is the pie with a wonderful crumbly top - gorgeous texture as you can see!

Set the pie aside for at least 45 minutes to an hour before serving or else the filling will be runny. If you are serving the next day, allow the pie to cool completely and then refrigerate.

Cut into the pie and the filling is firm but moist and not at all dry. The base and topping is like a streusel texture, flaky & cheesy.

Serve it with some wonderful fruit chutney. I served mine with my special Chutney de POM, Kumquats, Jalapeno & Ginger - the post for which is here

The pie filling is so very creamy and flavorful. The cheese and pecan pie crust and base provide a wonderful textural and flavor variation to the creaminess of the filling.

Very pleasing to the eye and the belly. I will be making this again and again. Given the ease of preparation it's on my must-do list for brunches!

With little bites of the chutney, the pie is elevated to a whole other level. The spicy-tart-sweet flavors from the chutney, work beautifully with all the elements of the pie. This would be great even with a simple orange marmalade in a pinch me thinks.

I have to say, the Emile Henry pie dish has done its job admirably - there was no uneven browning at all. One must attribute this to the thickness & that burgundy clay they use. I'm thrilled with it and can't wait to use it for all my summer fruit pies!Yum!

Recipe for

Splendid No-Roll, Chicken & Pecan Crumb Pie

Adapted from the Original recipe by Wildflower Cafe, Clearwater, Florida

Please Note - I have used artistic liberties & adjusted quantities of some the ingredients from the original recipe. These differences have been highlighted with cross-outs.

April 18, 2010

This is the
story of a bottle gourd also known as calabash gourd & doodhi,
lauki, lau, opu in different languages world over.

Though it sits among its brethren in tubs labeled Opu in most Asian stores, in its natural surroundings it hangs from a vine. It doesn't know it but it has a
wonderful delicate nutty flavor and absorbs beautifully the flavors of the surrounding gravy & spices.

Fortunately we do! And one of my absolute favorite ways of eating this is my mother-in-law's style which is Lau Chingri translated simply into bottle gourd with shrimp.

Besides being delicous, it is
incredibly low in calories. 4 oz bottle gourd has only 15 calories. Since I am
constantly battling the insanity of my weight, we try to eat this weekly.

In Ayurveda, its natural properties are also known to help lowering lipids as well as cholesterol in the blood.

It's providence that my mother-In-law is an ace cook and a gentle soul who when she visits, patiently tutored me in the art of authentic Bengali cuisine over the years.

2) Mustard oil - intensely flavorful it resonates through the dish with its pungent flavor and fragrance. Absolutely essential in Bengali cooking and severely underestimated and under used in other cuisines the world over.

The panch phoron can be easily mixed at home or purchased ready made at an Indo-Pak store.

The mustard oil is easily purchased at Indo-pak stores for a few bucks.

Bottle gourd - Peel the gourd and cut off from both ends. Cut into 1-1/2" length circles. Cut all the gourd circles into 1/4" thick matchsticks by cutting lengthwise and then perpendicular - like you would for french fries.

Shrimp - To the de-veined and peeled raw shrimp, add 3/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp turmeric powder. With clean hands, mix well and set aside.

In a saute pan, add vegetable oil. Heat for a minute or so till hot. Add the shrimp and on medium heat saute till it is half cooked.

The shrimp will have turned pink but will still have some raw parts. Remove to a bowl and set aside.Do not overcook or they will turn rubbery. Leave the remaining oil in the pan.

Especially taste some of the pieces along the outer skin since these will be tougher than the pieces in the middle.

Once the gourd is cooked it will shrink considerably and release its moisture so the vegetable will be quite watery. Add turmeric powder, red chilly powder, sugar and stir.

Cook's Note - You can add 1-1/2 packet splenda instead of the sugar if you wish.

Increase to medium-high heat & continue stirring on
till all
water most absorbed and quite dry. Taste & adjust seasoning.The vegetable has to have a decided hint of sweet so the quantity of sugar required is not a typo and adjust accordingly.

Add the shrimp, stir and remove from heat. It will finish cooking in the steam from the vegetable.

The subtle delicate flavors of the bottle gourd pairs really well with the shrimp. The whole spices lend a variety and burst of flavor with every bite. The hint of sweetness & heat brings all the flavors together in unison.

This is such a delicious meal and I've cooked it on weeknights when I'm in a hurry as well at dinner parties. It's a hit either way!

Recipe for

Lau Chingri - A Bengali style Vegetable with Bottle Gourd & Shrimp

Preparation time - 15 minutes

Cooking time - 15 minutes

Serves 4

Shopping list

1 large bottle gourd (calabash), doodhi

1/2 lb & deveined shrimp

1-1/2 tsp panch-phoron spices

2 tsp sugar

2 bay leaf

3 kasmiri red chilli - torn into 2 parts &
seeded

3 whole cardamom

3/4 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp red chilly powder

1 tsp mustard oil

2 tbs vegetable oil

To marinate shrimp:

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

1/2 tsp salt

Preparation:

Bottle gourd -
Peel the gourd and cut off from both ends. Cut into 1-1/2" length
circles.Cut all the gourd circles into 1/4" thick matchsticks by cutting
lengthwise and then perpendicular - like you would for french fries.

Shrimp - To the de-veined and peeled raw shrimp, add 3/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp turmeric powder. With clean hands, mix well and set aside.

Method:

In
a saute pan, add vegetable oil. Heat for a minute or so till hot.

Add
the shrimp and on medium heat saute till it is half cooked.

Good to know: The
shrimp will have turned pink but will still have some raw gray portions. Remove
to a bowl and set aside. Do not overcook or they will turn rubbery.
Leave the remaining oil in the pan.

On low
heat, cover with a tight lid & cook for about 10 minutes. Remove
the lid & stir. If the vegetable is dry, add 2 tbs water & cook
for another 10-15 minutes till the gourd is soft. Once the gourd
is cooked it will shrink considerably and release its moisture so the
vegetable may have a lot of liquid.

Good to know: Especially taste some of the pieces along the outer skin since these will be tougher than the pieces in the middle.

I was delighted to receive a sample case from POM Wonderful with bottles of their 100% Pomegranate juice with a request to not only sample the juice but perhaps use it creatively in my cooking.

Between Mr. Hubby & I, we have since consumed the 8 oz bottles at an alarming rate and left in the refrigerator are only 2 measly bottles. The flavor with its tartness and a hint of sweetness tastes very much of its origins - the pomegranate.

It's arrival has also coincided with kumquat season - these mini tart oranges that are a blessing to those who love making their own jams & jellies, makes one wicked marmalade. Try it and I think you'll agree that it's time to exit from traditional orange marmalade and enter the world of kumquat marmalade - which is what I'll do next year with a bit more planning.

But this year its all about the chutney!

I'm going to replace the use of any vinegar & wine with pomegranate juice which I think is clever isn't it? Any way, I'd rather cook with fruit juice over vinegar any day as long as I get the acidity that the dish needs.

I love spicy fruit chutneys which make every mundane thing fabulous and make delightful things even more wonderful. Serve it with everything from soft cheeses like Brie or Camembert & crackers to cream cheese, crusty bread or roasted meats or as in my case, delicious chicken & pecan crumb pie, the post for which you are not going to want to miss.

Its wonderful to have this chutney around & each batch will last 2 weeks in the refrigerator. Canning is the way to go for indefinite shelf life. Since I am not big into canning, I usually make everything (including my jams & chutneys) in small batches to last about 2 weeks. I freeze the bottles for up to 6 months.

You'll love this chutney if you like yours exploding with flavor - tart, sweet, aromatic spices & a touch of heat all at the same time.

Spices - In a clean & dry small saute pan, add the whole spices. Roast
on low heat for 1-2 minutes till the seeds are slightly brown and very
fragrant. Cool completely. In a clean coffee grinder, grind the whole
spices to a fine powder.

In
a saute pan, heat the olive oil for a minute over medium heat. Add
the onions & saute on medium heat for 5 minutes or until it has
just begun
to soften.

Add the chopped ginger
jalapeno & saute for another 2 minutes or so.

Add
all the fruit and stir. Saute for about a minute to warm through.

Add
the ground spices and also the ground nutmeg. Stir till completely
mixed. Add the the brown sugar and stir
for another minute or so.

The fruits would be releases their juices and
the brown sugar will begin to dissolve. Once the sauce is slightly
thickened, add the bottle of POM juice.

Stir
and bring to a simmer. Fit with a tight fitting lid and simmer on low
heat for 30 minutes.

Add
the cornstarch dissolved in water and stir for a minute or so till the
chutney is thickened. At
this point you can leave the chutney chunky. I like it chunky but
also slightly blended to smooth it out a bit.

To
do this, with a hand immersion blender, pulse the chutney 5-6 times at
various places in the pan. Stir and set aside to cook completely.
Refrigerate at least 4-6 hours before serving, preferably overnight. Place
in clean sterilized jars for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator or freeze for longer.

This is a chutney that is intensely flavorful. The aroma from the spices infuse the fruit and play against the sweet & tart flavors from the POM juice but also in the fruit - the kumquats, orange & pineapple.

There are layers of spice in from the ginger, jalapeno as well as the roasted spices. You know what else - just like wine, different people experience it differently - for me I could taste the fennel, Mr. Hubby the cardamom, others nutmeg - isn't that great? Same food, different perception!

When paired with soft cheeses & creamy pies, it not only complements that to which it is paired but takes on a life of its own that all the more delicious and memorable.

And to bring a smile on your face, I leave you with this, one of my favorite ads -

Recipe for

Chutney de POM, Kumquat & Ginger

Preparation time - 30-40 minutes

Cooking time - 30 minutes

Cooling & Chilling time - Minimum 4 hours, preferably 24 hours

You
will need -

1 small Spanish red onion (to yield 1/4 cup finely chopped)

2" fresh ginger root

1/2 jalapeno chile

2 tbs olive oil

16 oz kumquats

1 navel orange

1 cup canned pineapple chunks in juice

1-1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1 # 8oz bottle POM, pomegranate juice

1/2 tsp cornstarch dissolved in 1 tsp water

Spices-

1 tsp coriander seeds

1/2 tsp black peppercorns

1 tsp whole cardamom seeds

6 whole cloves

1 tsp fennel seeds

Preparation-

Spices - In a clean & dry small saute pan, add the whole spices. Roast
on low heat for 1-2 minutes till the seeds are slightly brown and very
fragrant. Cool completely. In a clean coffee grinder, grind the whole
spices to a fine powder.

Kumquats - Slice the kumquats in circles thinner than 1/8". Discard the green knob tip & the seeds that reveal themselves during slicing.

In
a saute pan, heat the olive oil for a minute over medium heat. Add the onions & saute on medium heat for 5 minutes or until it has just begun
to soften.

Add the chopped ginger jalapeno & saute for another 2 minutes or so.

Add all the fruit and stir. Saute for about a minute to warm through. Add the ground spices and also the ground nutmeg. Stir till completely mixed.

Add the the brown sugar and stir for another minute or so. The fruits would be releases their juices and the brown sugar will begin to dissolve. Once the sauce is slightly thickened, add the bottle of POM juice.

Stir and bring to a simmer. Fit with a tight fitting lid and simmer on low heat for 30 minutes.

Add the cornstarch dissolved in water and stir for a minute or so till the chutney is thickened.

At this point you can leave the chutney chunky. I like it quite chunky but also slightly blended to smooth it out a bit.

To do this, with a hand immersion blender, pulse the chutney 5-6 times at various places in the pan. Stir and set aside to cook completely. Refrigerate at least 4-6 hours before serving, preferably 24 hours.

April 15, 2010

This is my third attempt to write this post because the first two times I lost all my writing. Mr. Hubby of course has no sympathy with me on such 'techy' matters because he thinks I have a lazy index finger that simply won't click on 'save'. Mr. Hubby you see, never seems to have any such issues, ever...Ugh... In fact, he and his computer are always in perfect sync!

Do you have any idea how frustrating that is for me?

Now that I've vented, I should get back to main point here and that is that perhaps I should completely stop planning my meals. I mean on days such as this it seems I'm better off just fixing meals based on impromptu refrigerator raids.

I've been off to a late start this morning. In fact when the noonish hour rolled in I was still in my jammies cuddled on the couch with a book. But no amount of literary bliss was going to feed the three hungry mouths, one of which is my own. And so it is that I grudgingly waddled to the refrigerator and since leftovers were meager pickings the only thing left to do was to shake the fridge tree per se and see what falls out.

Just so happens I was delighted to see the fresh salmon that I had purchased the earlier evening along with a bulb of fresh fennel, tangerines and some rather lonely olives in my Rubbermaid container.

Its been a warm day today and so I thought of fixing some ceviche but no tomatoes at hand. Did that stop me? Heck no! Because the whole concept behind ceviche is allowing the enzyme & acidity of the tomatoes & citrus to work & 'chemically cook' the fish. The same can be said for oranges & honestly I'd much rather on this particular occasion go for the sweet flavor of the tangerines over the tartness of the tomatoes.

To that, add the makings of a tangy Asian style dressing and a devilishly delicious plot is afoot!

Fennel - Cut away the stalks and root & leave only bulb. Halve & using a mandolin on its second thinnest setting, slice the fennel halves. Go slow & be very careful of your fingers as you get towards the last bits. Set aside. Also reserve a few fronds for garnish.

Honey tangerines - Cut off the top and bottom & holding a very sharp paring knife run from top to bottom along the shape of the tangerine to completely take off the skin & pith.

Cut into cross-sections, 1/4" thick. Pick out the seeds as they come within reach as you keep cutting all the way to the bottom. Place the orange circles with the fennel in a mixing bowl. Place in the refrigerator to chill.

Juice 2 honey tangerines & set aside the juice.

Lemon - Juice 1/2 a lemon & set the juice aside

Serrano chile - Cut off the top & discard. Have. Set aside one half for future use. Thinly slice into lengths & then finely chop.

Thai red chilly - Cut off the top & discard. Cut into thin circles & set aside with the other chile.

Salmon - Place on a plate & into the freezer for 10-15 minutes to chill.

Dressing -

Place the tangerine & lemon juice in a bowl. To this add olive oil, sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, salt & pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings. Set aside 3 tbs of this for the fennel & orange salad as dressing.

To the remaining dressing add the chopped chillies, chopped garlic, chopped onions & cilantro. Stir. Use this as the marinade for the salmon.

Remove the chilled salmon from the freezer. Use a very sharp chef's knife or slicer & cut into 1/8" thick slices along the grain.

I can't imagine using anything but my Wusthof IKON Chef's knife to cut the fish flawlessly. if you are in the market for some of the finest knives in the market, look no further!

(stock pic)

WUSTHOF knives have always been known for these qualities ~

Forged from one piece of specially tempered high carbon steel to ensure outstanding strength.

Extraordinary sharpness which is easy to maintain

Perfectly balanced for effortless cutting.

Stainless

Triple-riveted handle shells, full tang handle.

Specially designed bolster.

Exceptionally sharp.

Not dishwasher safe because of the wooden handle but a small price to pay.

Place the salmon slices on a plate in a single layer. Pour the marinade all over the fish & refrigerate for 45 minutes to an hour.

Just before serving, remove the fennel & orange salad from the refrigerator & lightly toss with the salad dressing.

To assemble, place the salad at the bottom of the plate & place folded layers of salmon on the top. Pour some of the marinade from the ceviche onto the salmon. Place some of the onion-cilantro mixture on top.

The flavors of the sesame soy salad dressing pairs really well with the anise flavors in the fennel. The slightly pungent tart flavors of the black olives balance the sweetness from the tangerines really well.

The salmon with the sweet & citrus flavors from the orange segments, the marinade with its rich flavors from the garlic, fresh ingredients & sesame oil, the heat from the chillies come together in a harmony that is truly outstanding.

This couldn't turn out better even if it was planned and carefully worked out in advance. This is such a wonderful, light & easy to put together salad that is a perfect introduction to spring as the scent of orange blossoms & flowers fill the air!

Recipe for

Fennel & Tangerine Salad topped with Asian Style Salmon Ceviche

Preparation time - 20 minutes

Chilling time - 45 minutes - 1 hour

Serves 4

1 lb fresh skinless Atlantic salmon

1 bulb fresh fennel

4 honey tangerines

1/2 lemon

4 black olives

1 tbs olive oil

1 tsp sesame oil

2 garlic cloves

4-5 sprigs cilantro

2 green onions

1/2 Serrano chile

1 Thai red chilly

1/2 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Fresh cracked black pepper on top

Preparation -

Fennel - Cut away the stalks and root & leave only bulb. Halve & using a mandolin on its second thinnest setting, slice the fennel halves. Go slow & be very careful of your fingers as you get towards the last bits. Set aside. Also reserve a few fronds for garnish.

Honey tangerines slices - Cut off the top and bottom & holding a very sharp paring knife run from top to bottom along the shape of the tangerine to completely take off the skin & pith.

Cut into cross-sections, 1/4" thick. Pick out the seeds as they come within reach as you keep cutting all the way to the bottom. Place the orange circles with the fennel in a mixing bowl. Place in the refrigerator to chill.

Salmon - Place on a plate & into the freezer for 10-15 minutes to chill. After which place on a plate & into the freezer for 10-15 minutes to chill.Use a very sharp chef's knife or slicer & cut into 1/8" thick slices along the grain.

Dressing - Place the tangerine & lemon juice in a bowl. To this add olive oil, sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, salt & pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings. Set aside 3 tbs of this for the fennel & orange salad as dressing.

To the remaining dressing add the chopped chillies, chopped garlic, chopped onions & cilantro. Stir. Use this as the marinade for the salmon.

Salad -

Place the salmon slices on a plate in a single layer. Pour the marinade all over the fish & refrigerate for 45 minutes to an hour.

Just before serving, remove the fennel & orange salad from the refrigerator & lightly toss with the salad dressing.

To assemble, place the salad at the bottom of the plate & place folded layers of salmon on the top. Pour some of the marinade from the ceviche onto the salmon. Place some of the onion-cilantro mixture on top. You can serve the extra marinade on the side if you wish.

April 12, 2010

I adore tarts! (the baked variety, I mean) and it is wonderful to have an eager audience when one bakes such delightful creations.

I have been dying to fix a goat cheese tart for the longest time but we are such carnivores in our family that I always have to make a special effort to prepare an all vegetarian meal that it has thus far been pushed to the back burner.

So when our friend, Saurin from Chicago was scheduled to come over for a few days, the moment was ripe. Not only is he a strict vegetarian and also an avid foodie which meant not only was this an opportunity to hone my all vegetarian cooking skills but I can actually make something with goat cheese for someone that wasn't going to turn his nose up at it!

It has been my experience that food & people broadly fall in these categories -

1) There are those who would rather starve than be willing to try something outside their realm of comfort.

2) And others who would whine & fuss and pick on their food because they dislike this or hate throughout a meal - picky, picky, picky ( for me such people are like nails on a chalkboard!)

3) And on the opposite side of the spectrum, there are others for whom 'anything goes so a bowl of 'stone soup' would suffice as long as they are fed 3 times a day!

But here, here was a golden opportunity - here was someone who would not be afraid to walk into the exciting world of goat cheese (or so I fervently hoped as his plane hit the runway!)

Later that evening, when he asked me what's for dinner & I replied, Caramelized Onion, Goat Cheese & Walnut tart & his expression turned joyous, close to rapture, I knew that here - here was someone who was no longer 'people'!

In a saute pan, heat the butter till it has melted. Add the onions and salt & saute on medium heat for 5 minutes or until it has just begun to soften.

Lower the heat & cover with a tight lid to steam the onions for about 20 minutes. Keep stirring the onions regularly to prevent from un-uniform & quick browning.

Cook's Note - If during this process the onions begin to stick to the bottom of the pan & caramelize, add 1 tbs of water. Stir and cover the pan, repeating the process if necessary.

Once the onions are caramelized a light brown, remove from the heat. Cool.

In a mixing bowl, beat eggs & egg yolk. Add milk & whisk to blend. Add goat cheese (room temperature) and sour cream, salt & pepper and whisk. If you are finding it hard to blend, use a hand held electric mixer for a few seconds.

Spread the onion on the bottom of the tart shell. Pour the filling mixture in the tart shell over the onions. Top with walnuts, spreading evenly. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes. And when it pops out of the oven you get this!

Set aside to cool for 10 minutes before un-molding tart or slicing.

The quiche with its buttery flaky crust melts in your mouth as you bite into it.

The sweetness of the caramelized onions balance well with the flavor of the goat cheese and the walnuts gives it just the right occasional crunch. The chives with its slight garlicky-onion flavors blends right in. It was just a lovely meal and thoroughly enjoyed by us all.

In
a saute pan, heat the butter till it has melted. Add the onions and
salt & saute on medium heat for 5 minutes or until it has just begun
to soften.

Lower the
heat & cover with a tight lid to steam the onions for about 20
minutes. Keep stirring the onions regularly to prevent from un-uniform
& quick browning.

Cook's Note - If during
this process the onions begin to stick to the bottom of the pan &
caramelize, add 1 tbs of water. Stir and cover the pan, repeating the
process if necessary.

Once the onions
are caramelized a light brown remove from the heat. Cool completely.

In a mixing bowl,
beat eggs & egg yolk. Add milk & whisk to blend. Add goat cheese
(room temperature) and sour cream, salt & pepper and whisk. If you
are finding it hard to blend, use a hand held electric mixer for a few
seconds.

It doesn't matter if this is your first time or your 30th time fixing a tart pastry - A tart is like a dog, it smells fear! And making a tart is all about confidence.

It is therefore it is a good idea to summon up your confidence before you approach such a task - to this end I usually imagine myself to be one of the 'Daughters of Grendel' - you know from Beowulf (AD 700-1000) the legendary monster who was feared by all but Beowulf! Does amazing things for my confidence, that.

I am particularly eager to get started on the tart as my first step to tonight's dinner - a sinful caramelized onion, goat cheese & walnut tart - doesn't that sound good?

It is honor of our friend Saurin who is visiting from Chicago and happens to be a strict vegetarian. It's wonderful to have him visit not just because of all the fun we have but because it challenges me to produce all vegetarian meals outside my regular repertoire.

So now that I am in the zone, its time to roll up those sleeves and get started.

Pulse for 25 seconds till a ball has formed. If in 25 seconds the mix is still crumbly & a dough ball has not formed, add 1/2 tbs chilled water and pulse again for 25 seconds till a dough ball has formed.

Flatten dough ball between palms, wrap it in cling wrap and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes till it is cold (this will make it easier to roll out) Remove from the refrigerator, discard the cling wrap and sprinkle with 1 tbs flour.

Begin to roll out the pastry. Using a rolling pin, apply light pressure while rolling outwards from
the center of the dough.

Every once in a while you may need to gently
lift under the dough with your fingers to make sure it is not sticking. Also, turn the pastry a quarter turn every once in a while so it is rolling out uniformly. As the edges fray, pinch with finger and continue rolling. Sprinkle more flour under the pastry as needed.

Lift the pastry off the bottom
and wrap around the rolling pin. Pull tart pan closer to you and drape
the pastry over it as best you can.

Cook's Note - If there are tears or any
weak spots or holes in the pastry, patch with pastry dough that is the
draped over the edges.

Using
2
fingers gently press the sides of the pastry to the sides of the pan.

Using the rolling pin, trim the edges using the edge of the tart pan as a guide.

Cook's Note - I know that the pastry looks like a patched quilt but that is OK - for one, the base will be covered with filling and secondly, take heart in the fact that a pastry dough that is soft and prone to tearing will bake into a buttery, flaky crust while a pastry dough that is tough & hard will bake into a tough crust.

Using a clean fork or tweezers, indent the tart edge with a decorative edge. Continue till the entire tart has a decorative edge.

Take a large piece of aluminum foil and spray non-stick spray on the dull side. Place over the tart and pour 1 lb uncooked dry grains or chick peas over the foil to weigh down the tart and prevent it from puffing up.

Bake for 20 minutes till the edge is golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Remove the foil & grains.

Set tart aside for next step in the recipe. If freezing, allow it to cool completely, wrap in foil and then in a freezer safe zip lock bag.

Knead
for 25 seconds till a ball has formed. If in 25 seconds the mix is
still crumbly & a dough ball has not formed, add 1/2 tbs chilled
water and knead again for 25 seconds till a dough ball has formed.

Flatten
dough ball between palms, wrap it in cling wrap and refrigerate for
10-15 minutes till it is cold (this will make it easier to roll out)
Remove from the refrigerator, discard the cling wrap and sprinkle with
1 tbs flour.

Cooking method -

Begin to roll out the pastry. Using a rolling pin, apply light pressure while rolling outwards from
the center of the dough.

Every
once in a while you may need to gently
lift under the dough with your fingers to make sure it is not sticking.
Also, turn the pastry a quarter turn every once in a while so it is
rolling out uniformly. As the edges fray, pinch with finger and continue rolling.

Lift
the pastry off the bottom and wrap around the rolling pin. Pull tart
pan closer to you and drape the pastry over it as best you can.

Using
2 fingers gently press the sides of the pastry to the sides of the pan. Using the rolling pin, trim the edges using the edge of the tart pan as a guide.

Using
a clean fork and tweezers, indent the tart edge with a decorative edge.
Continue till the entire tart has a decorative edge.

Take
a large piece of aluminum foil and spray non-stick spray on the dull
side. Place over the tart and pour 1 lb grains or chick peas over the
foil to weigh down the tart and prevent it from puffing up.

Bake for 20 minutes till the edge is golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.

Remove the foil & grains.

Set
tart aside for next step in the recipe. If freezing, allow it to cool
completely, wrap in foil and then in a freezer safe zip lock bag.

April 10, 2010

One of the most delightful desserts from North Indian kitchen is Sevian (pronounced - say-vi-yaa) Here fine vermicelli is lightly sauteed in ghee and then stewed in
sweetened milk with almonds, golden raisins, & cardamom. Finally garnished with pistachio slivers.

Growing up, I have seen my Mum make this dessert so often sometimes for dinner parties and sometimes just to satisfy that sweet tooth. I have always taken this for granted and have never bothered making notes or observing how Mum was fixing it. All I remember was relishing bowls and bowls of this heavenly nectar.

So when the morning of the Foodbuzz 24,24,24 dinner party rolls in, you can read all about that splendid evening hereand I have done nothing for this dish with the exception of stocking the groceries, I jump off the couch, coffee in one hand , paper & pencil in the other and begin frantically dialing my parent's at home.

Fortunately Mum picks up and I explain my predicament. After a short spiel on how I really must stop doing everything at the last minute, she reveals not only her recipe but more importantly the critical points to watch out for in the cooking process. Because its the little stuff that will get you every time!

Fortunately, this one's easy to fix with spectacular results. There are a couple of additions I have made to Mum's recipe, adding a can of evaporated milk to speed things up & a tsp of rose water. Other than that, here's Mum's Sevian -

Cook's Note - Do not use the vermicelli sold under the pasta section of regular grocery store. This warrants very fine wheat vermicelli that is a rich brown available at Indo-Pak stores.

Prepare the ingredients -

Sevian - If your sevian
is in 11-12" long lengths, with a pair of kitchen shears cut into 4
equal parts. Set aside

Almonds
- In a saute pan, heat ghee till hot but not fuming. Add almonds
and stir constantly for about 2 minutes until it is golden brown. Remove
to a bowl and set aside.

Cashews halves (if using) - In a saute pan, heat ghee
till hot but not fuming. Add almonds
and stir constantly for about 2 minutes until it is golden brown. Remove
to a bowl and set aside.

In a heavy bottom saute pan, on
low heat, heat the ghee till hot but not fuming. Add the cloves. As soon
as they swell up, add the vermicelli.

Saute for 2-3 minutes until the vermicelli is a golden
brown. There will be a distinct glistening on the vermicelli & it
will release a scent. Stir constantly during this process. Watch for strands vermicelli turning brown quicker than others.

Add
all the milk including the can of evaporated milk. Increase heat to medium & bring to simmer.

Lower heat and stir
regularly for about 15-20 minutes. The vermicelli will have expanded and
the milk should show signs of slight thickening.

Cook's Note - It is very important
to be at hand and stir. If the milk sticks to the bottom of pan as it
thickens, it will give out a burnt milk smell and the entire will have
to discarded.

Taste and adjust seasonings. Simmer for 2-3 minutes and remove from heat.

Refrigerate once cooled if using the next day. If serving the same day, just before serving warm the Sevian.Add rose water and
stir.

Cook's
Note - As the Sevian sits it will thicken. So you may add as much as 1/2-1 cup of milk to thin but only do so once warmed. Also once again
taste and adjust the sugar if needed.

Some
families like their sevian thick & others like it thin. In
ours we like it thin. I do not recommend serving your Sevian
very thick like a cream of wheat consistency. It should be thinner
than a thick soup.

Remove the Sevian to a decorative serving bowl and garnish with pistachio slivers and decorate with rose petals if desired.

Serve
warm or hot in individual serving bowls.

One bite into the creamy rich texture of the vermicelli with the milk and dry fruits and it has us swooning.

The milk is infused with flavor from the cardamom and the little crunch from the almonds and cashews is a lovely contrast to the smooth silkiness of the vermicelli. I especially loved the pistachios and the hint of rose water in it.

I hope you make this when you have your next 'Indian nite'. I think you'll enjoy it as much as we did.

Recipe for

Sevian - A Vermicelli Dessert from Northern India

Preparation time - 10 minutes

Cooking time - 20 minutes

Shopping list

3.5 oz/100 gms Sevian or thin Vermicelli (brown)

1 # 12 oz can evaporated milk

6 cups milk ( plus extra to thin once cooled)

1/2 cup sugar

2 whole cloves

1-1/4 tsp powdered cardamom

1-1/2 tsp ghee

3 tbs sliced almonds

1/2 tsp ghee to saute almonds

2 tbs shelled pistachio nuts, for garnish

1 tsp Rosewater (optional)

Preparation

Sevian - If your sevian is in 11-12" long lengths, with a pair of kitchen shears cut into 4 equal parts. Set aside.

Cashews halves (if using) - In a saute pan, heat ghee
till hot but not fuming. Add almonds
and stir constantly for about 2 minutes until it is golden brown. Remove
to a bowl and set aside.

Almonds - In a saute pan, heat ghee till hot but not fuming. Add almonds and stir constantly for about 2 minutes until it is golden brown. Remove to a bowl and set aside.

Cooking Method

In a heavy bottom saute pan, on low heat, heat the ghee till hot but not fuming. Add the cloves. As soon as they swell up, add the vermicelli.

Saute for 2-3 minutes until the vermicelli is a golden brown. There will be a distinct glistening on the vermicelli & it will release a scent. Stir constantly during this
process. Watch for strands vermicelli turning brown quicker than others.

Add all the milk. Increase heat to medium & bring to simmer.

Lower heat immediately and stir regularly for about 20 minutes. The vermicelli will have expanded and the milk should show signs of slight thickening.

Cook's Note - It is very important to be at hand and stir. If the milk sticks to the bottom of pan as it thickens, it will give out a burnt milk smell and the entire will have to discarded.

Add the sugar, almonds & cardamom powder. Stir.

Taste and adjust seasonings.

Simmer for 2-3 minutes and remove from heat. Add rose water and stir.

Cook's
Note - As the Sevian sits it will thicken. So you may add as
much as 1/2-1 cup of milk to thin but only do so once warmed. Also once
again
taste and adjust the sugar if needed.

Some
families like their sevian thick & others like it thin. In
ours we like it thin. I do not recommend serving your Sevian
thick like a cream of wheat consistency. It should be thinner
than a thick soup.

April 07, 2010

As it stands, based on some of the things said by a few of my dearie readers, there seems to be
a misconception that I spend all day slaving at a hot
stove preparing these elaborate 4 hour meals - every night!

Puuhhhleeezzz!

I have 2 little kids running around at a gazillion miles per
hour so most nights its all about meals in a jiffy. Made from scratch
of course! So lets get some
of my favorite week night meals out there - starting with this one. A quick & easy stir fry with fresh yellow squash, plump shrimp and fresh succulent snow peas. Yum!

Comfort foods in a dictionary been described as -
foods that are often emotionally significant to a person or
group of people and are sometimes related to pleasant memories of
childhood.

I can't think of a group of foods that represents all of that for me & more than Asian food. This may come as a surprise to you since my upbringing was in India but, I have been eating authentic Chinese food (Hong Kong & Shanghai provinces) for as long as I can remember. It's the one thing I remember most about our travels - I still can't get over that 'chicken wrapped in grape leaves creation' and the Peking duck in Hong Kong. Don't even get me started on the Yum Chaa....

Up until then, though I had an understanding of Chinese food, I was pretty much fumbling around in the kitchen, left to my own devices. My years spent in Singapore, honed my skills to a point that I developed a comfort level with preparing several traditional home spun dishes like char kway teow, clay pot, hong siew tofu and several stir-fry's.

This one is my absolute favorites! Now if only some one would come along to teach me authentic Dim Sum !

The ingredients for this recipe are best separated into 3 categories -

Yellow squash - Cut the ends off the squash. Cut into 1" long pieces and a little over 1/4" thick.

Ginger root - Scrape the skin off the ginger root with a knife and finely chop.

Garlic cloves - Separate cloves from a bulb. Peel & finely chop by hand or in a mini-chopper.

Thai red chillies - Cut the top off the red chilly and discard. Cut into 1/4" circles and set aside. Cook's Note - Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water to get rid of the chilly oil before touching anyone or anything else.

Shrimp and marinade -

Shrimp - Peel the raw shrimp and place in a bowl with the cornstarch, salt, pepper, sugar and sesame oil. Set aside.

Cook's Note - I use whichever size shrimp is on sale. With the exception of salad shrimp you can use any size raw shrimp. I just happened to find large shrimp (prawns) on sale today.

Sauce-

First stop - the pantry cabinet for what I like to call the 3-musketeers of
stir-fry namely, soy sauce, oyster sauce and Sriracha, red chilli paste/sauce.
Personally, I have a great fondness for sriracha.

In a bowl, add the soy sauce, sriracha or hot chilly sauce, oyster sauce, cornstarch, sugar and water or chicken stock. Stir & set aside.

To wok or
Not?

Most
people at this point would head for that wok in the kitchen cabinet.
Well, more power to you! - if you have one of those wok
burners spewing out 100,000 BTU's.

A wok is only as good as
its heat source. So it heats up in a flash - and
then as soon as you put in the first ingredient (it gives it that
wonderful smoky flavor) cools down just as rapidly
instantly turning it into a useless piece of tin. Which why you need an
immense flame to keep it very very hot.

If your kitchen is like mine and
you have one of those regular stoves, I'd head for a heavy bottomed
saute pan. Yes it's a dud to begin with and slowly heats up but once it
does, it will stick with you to the end.

In a small saute pan or deep frying pan, add 1 cup of vegetable oil. Heat on medium high heat till hot but not smoking. Cook's Note - You will see movement sort of like ripples in the oil once it is hot.

Drop
the snow peas in the oil in 4 separate batches for a few seconds till
they turn very bright green - about 2-3 minutes . Remove immediately with a slotted spoon.

Once all the snow peas are fried, in the same oil drop in the shrimp (prawns) till they turn pink. - about 2-3 minutes .Remove immediately from the oil and set aside.

Do not overcook either the snow peas or the shrimp (better under than over in this case)

Remove 4 tbs of the same oil you used for the deep frying and pour into a heavy bottomed pan or wok.

Heat the oil till fuming. Add the chopped garlic, ginger and
chilly.

As soon as the garlic starts turning a very light brown, add the
cut yellow squash.

To begin with the squash retains its shape and white color. Continue sauteing for about 7 minutes or until the squash
become more translucent.

Add the snow peas and the shrimp and saute for 1-2 minutes.

Give the sauce mixture in the bowl a stir (cornstarch has a tendency to congeal at the bottom)

Add to the stir fry and saute for 1-2 minutes till the sauce thoroughly coats the vegetable and shrimp and sauce thickens. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Serve immediately on a bed of steamed rice.

A word of caution - have your rice cooked and everyone ready
at the table as soon as the stir-fry is ready. Do not prepare this dish in advance
and keep or you will find come serving time, your snow peas have turned
an unattractive olive green!

The flavors of the shrimp and vegetables are delicate and infused with the flavor from the sauce. This is such a refreshing and healthy delicious meal.

No other accompaniments are required - well maybe some lovely jasmine tea....it's a surefire favorite with my kids as well!

Recipe for

YELLOW SQUASH, SNOW PEAS & SHRIMP STIR-FRY

Preparation time - 15 minutes

Cooking time - 15 minutes

Serves 4

Shopping list

3 yellow squash

3/4 lb raw shrimp or large prawns

1 'Thai' fresh red chilly

4 cloves garlic

1" fresh ginger root

Marinade for shrimp -

1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp corn starch

1-1/2 tsp sesame oil

Sauce -

2 tbs oyster sauce

1 tbs dark soy sauce

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp cornstarch

1/4 cup chicken stock or water

1/2 tsp sriracha or hot chilli sauce

1 cup vegetable oil

Preparation -

Marinade - Shell and devein the shrimp or prawns and mix in a bowl with the marinade ingredients. Set aside.

Sauce - In a small bowl, mix the sauce ingredients. Stir and set aside.

Fresh produce -

Yellow squash - Cut the ends off the squash. Cut into 1" long pieces and a little over 1/4" thick.

Snow peas - Tear the ends off and string. Wash and set aside.

Ginger - Scrape the skin off the ginger root with a knife and finely chop.

Garlic - Separate cloves from a bulb. Place a chefs knife down on the cloves and hit down hard with the heel of your palm. Repeat till the skin separates from the clove. Discard garlic skin and chop the garlic cloves. Use
your knife edge as a pivot and place your hand down firmly bringing the
knife up and down till all the garlic has been chopped or you can use a mini chopper.

Thai red chilly - Discard top. Cut into 1/4" circles and set aside.

Cooking method-

In a small saute pan or deep frying pan, add 1 cup of vegetable oil. Heat on medium high heat till hot but not smoking.

Drop
the snow peas in the oil in 4 separate batches for a few seconds till
they turn very bright green. Immediately remove with a slotted spoon.

In the same oil, drop in the shrimp
(prawns) till they turn pink. Remove immediately from the oil and set
aside.

Do not overcook either the snow peas or the shrimp.

Keep heat on high. Remove 4 tbs of the same oil you used for the deep frying and pour into a heavy bottomed pan or wok.

Heat
the oil till fuming. Add the chopped garlic, ginger and chilly. As soon
as the garlic starts turning a very light brown, add the cut yellow
squash.

Saute for approx 7 minutes or until the squash become more translucent. Add the snow peas and the shrimp and saute for 1-2 minutes.

Give the sauce mixture in the bowl a stir. Add to the stir fry and saute for 1-2 minutes till the sauce thoroughly coats the vegetable and shrimp and sauce thickens.

April 03, 2010

I enjoy taking every opportunity to celebrate holidays and traditions from around the world. That's something Mr. Hubby and I decided right at the onset that we would do - always celebrate the traditions of every country we lived in & live in. It's our way of reminding ourselves & our children that it truly is a small world, full of wonder and to keep an open mind about our differences. Because our differences is what also makes it all so very exciting.

I mean who wants to live in a world surrounded by oneself?!

So when Easter took me quite my surprise this week and I finally decided to get my act together just in time to fix something special for it, I was astounded by the variety of desserts prepared for this occasion in the various regions of Italy.

Sweet Easter Bread in Sicily, Easter Fruitcake from Trieste and this Ricotta Pie from Campania in the Naples region.

This would be exciting in itself but it was made more so by the fact that there are variations to this centuries old recipe - some using farro, whole wheat, cracked rice & even cracked wheat. The whole grains signify fertility for Easter.

In this version of the recipe, the textures & flavors using whole wheat berries, pine nuts, candied orange peels and orange flower water was something I couldn't resist.

I
have had to start a good 24
hours earlier to
baking day as you know because I have not been able to locate candied
orange peels as
these are usually sold in the US during holiday season. So I have had to
make these from scratch.

If you are in a similar
predicament, you
will find the post on how to make candied orange peels at home here

Also the wheat berries require a good 6-8 hours or overnight soaking. And so it was that at 10.00 PM last night I finally began fixing this pie.

Note to self - Do not start pies
late at night unless you are prepared to stay up into the wee hours of
the morning!...sigh...

In the kitchen with me are my favorite people when it comes to regional Italian cooking - Mario Balati (I could kiss his orange crocs!) and Nika Hazelton. Not in person silly, their books!

I have had Hazelton's cookbook since I was about 10 years old. Picked it up from a street vendor in Mumbai and have treasured it since. She was writing books way before I was born & I really love her down to earth attitude to cooking Italian regional foods. And Thank God for Batali - for fearlessly bringing true local regional Italian cooking (such as sea urchins) into the main stream here in the US as in his restaurants Lupa & Esca, NYC.

I am using Hazelton's more embellished version for the filling here but using Batali's dough thicknesses and baking times. Other than that the recipe are pretty darn similar.

There are 3 categories to this recipe:

- Filling

- Pasta Frolla, Sweet pastry dough. You will find the recipe for that here

- Assembly & weave pie crust

Off we go - first with the wheat berries.

Earlier in the day I soaked the wheat berries in plenty of hot water for about 6-8 hours. As the wheat berries took on water they swelled, softened and got darker. Sieve and set aside after soaking period.

In a pan, add the wheat berries, completely cover with water and bring to boil on high heat. Lower heat, cover with a tight fitting lid and cook for 30 minutes. Stirring occasionally. Sieve and set aside. The wheat berries will be softer but still have a crunch to them.

Now its time to begin with the - Pasta Frolla, Sweet pastry
dough.

Because this recipe is a must in one's culinary arsenal and will be used time and time again for various other recipes, you'll find the post here

Once the spring foam pan is lined with pastry dough & is cooling in the refrigerator, begin preparing the filling.

Reduce the heat to low and keep cooking the wheat berries, regularly stirring until almost all the milk has been evaporated. When there is a little liquid in the pan and it looks like the sugar is beginning to crystallize (about 30 minutes) sieve the berries & drain away the remaining liquid.

You will be left with the milk solids & sugar mixed in with the wheat berries.

While this is cooking prepare the remaining ingredients but keep an eye on the wheat berries so it does not stick to the bottom of the pan.

Lemon & Orange rinds - Using a rind tool or a fine vegetable grater, grate the rind from the orange and lemons. Keep turning the fruit to avoid grating into the pith. Grate both in the same bowl.

Raisins - Soak in plenty of hot water. Set aside.

Candied Orange peels - Place in a mini-chopper and chop till very fine. You will need about 1/2 cup finely chopped peels so do this in 2 batches if needed.

In a large mixing bowl add the ricotta, orange and lemon rinds, orange flower water & heavy cream. Using a hand immersion blender, beat the mixture till smooth.

Separate one egg and a time and place 1 yolk into the mixture. Beat till smooth. Then repeat with the next egg yolk. Keep going till all 4 egg yolks are incorporated.

Add the soaked raisins and fold again. Add the cooked wheat berries and fold until well incorporated.

Cook's Note - I think it is very interesting that the sugar in the pie comes by transference from the wheat berries. No sugar is directly added into the filling and it the sweetness is in perfect proportion.

The texture of the filling is incredible - so rich, wholesome and rustic. You just know you're dealing with a very old recipe here. So unlike the smooth fillings that we generally find nowadays. The flavors are phenomenal.

Fill the refrigerated pastry base with the filling and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Set aside.

To begin the woven pastry top -

Roll the pastry out with the refrigerated dough ball to diameter of the spring foam pan (about 11")

Place a scale in the center of the rolled pastry and using a paring knife, cut at 1" increments towards you.

Using a pizza wheel, cut the strip all the way until the pastry is cut into 1" lengths.

Place the spring foam close to the pastry top.

Beginning with the pastry length at one end, lift each alternate length and place on the pie keeping the same 1" separation between the lengths.

Lift & fold over each alternate pastry length along its own length. Place the longest length in the center of the pie, perpendicular to the other pastry lengths as shown.Unfold the folded pastry lengths over the perpendicular lengths.

Now take the parallel lengths that are running underneath the
perpendicular strip and fold them back over the perpendicular strip, as
shown. Lay down a second perpendicular length of dough next to the first length, with some space between the lengths. Unfold the folded parallel lengths over the second length.

Remember - Keep going alternating lengths till you get one half of the pie done.

Then begin working on the other side of the pie. That way you won't get confused as to which lengths to use.

Now onto the other side of the pie -

Continue this process until the weave is complete over the entire top. The edges will remain folded around the sides of the pan until the whole pie is done.

Once the weave on whole the top of the
pie is complete, using a dinner knife, trim the edge of each length and press each edge down into the pie base (so the two pastry's meet & join)

This is what it looks like once the weave & trimming is complete

Beat some of the left over egg whites.

With a pastry brush, gently smudge the egg while over the weave till the whole weave has an egg wash. Do not use long strokes all over the pie. Restrict the egg wash over the weave only.

Bake in pre-heated oven for 55-60 minutes until the top is beautiful golden brown. Detach the spring foam pan sides
and allow to cool.

Loving the weave!

The texture in this pie is incredible. The first scent that hit us when we cut into it was the scent of oranges. The textures with the whole grains is wonderful nestled in the sweetened ricotta. The pastry is flaky and with every bite the entire spectrum of flavors come together. This is not an oozing pie but firm & rich. Very old world indeed!

As we were having this after lunch, I looked out and saw the orange blossom trees in full bloom and I realized that the people who originally created this pie had done something quite remarkable - they had managed to capture the essence of spring in a dish!

Wheat berries - Soaked the wheat
berries in plenty of hot water for about 6-8 hours or overnight. Sieve and set
aside after soaking period.

In a pan, add the wheat
berries, completely cover with water and bring to boil on high heat.
Lower heat, cover with a tight fitting lid and cook for 30 minutes.
Stirring occasionally. Sieve and set aside. The wheat berries
will be softer but still have a crunch to them.

Return to the wheat berries - To the boiled
wheat berries add the butter, milk & sugar. On medoum-high heat
bring to boil.

Reduce the heat to
low and keep cooking the wheat berries, regularly stirring until
almost all the milk has been evaporated. When there is a little liquid
in the pan and it looks like the sugar is beginning to crystallize
(about 30 minutes) sieve the berries & drain away the remaining
liquid.

You will left with the milk solids &
sugar mixed in with the wheat berries.

While this is cooking prepare the remaining ingredients
but keep an eye on the wheat berries so it does not stick to the bottom
of the pan.

Lemon & Orange rinds - Using a rind tool or a
fine vegetable grater, grate the rind. Keep turning the fruit to avoid
grating into the pith.

Raisins - Soak in plenty of hot water. Set
aside.

Candied Orange peels - Place in a mini-chopper
and chop till very fine. You will need about 1/2 cup finely chopped
peels so do this in 2 batches if needed.

Filling -

Preheat the oven to 350 deg F

In a
large mixing bowl add the ricotta, orange and lemon rinds, orange
flower water & heavy cream. Using a hand immersion blender, beat the
mixture till smooth.

Separate
one egg and a time and place 1 yolk into the mixture. Beat till smooth.
Then repreat with the next egg yolk. Keep going till all 4 egg yolks
are incorporated so.

Add
the soaked raisins and fold again. Add the cooked wheat berries and fold
until well incorporated.

Fill the refrigerated pastry base with
the filling and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Set aside.

Begin to weave pastry top -

Roll the pastry out with the
refrigerated dough ball to diameter of the spring foam pan (about 11")

Place a scale in
the center of the rolled pastry and using a paring knife, cut at 1"
increments towards you.

Using a pizza wheel, cut the strip
all the way until the pastry is cut into 1" lengths.

Place the spring foam close to the pastry top.

Beginning with the pastry length at one
end, lift each alternate length and place on the pie keeping the same 1"
separation between the lengths.

Lift & fold over each
alternate pastry length along its own length. Place the longest length in the center of the pie, perpendicular
to the other pastry lengths as shown.Unfold the
folded strips over the perpendicular strip.

Now
take the parallel lengths that are running underneath the
perpendicular strip and fold them back over the perpendicular strip, as
shown. Lay down a second perpendicular length of dough next to the first
length, with some space between the lengths. Unfold the folded parallel
lengths over the second length.

Remember
- Keep going alternating lengths till you get one half of the pie done.

Then
begin working on the other side of the pie. That way you won't get
confused as to which length to use.

Continue this process until the weave is complete over
the top of the
pie. The edges will remain folded around the sides of the pan until the
weave over the whole pie is complete.

Once the weave on whole the top of the
pie is complete, using a dinner knife, trim the edge of each length and
press each edge down into the pie base (so the two pastry's meet &
join)

With a pastry brush, gently smudge the
egg while over the weave till the whole weave has an egg wash. Do not
use long strokes all over the pie. Restrict the egg wash over the weave
only.

Baking the pie -

Bake in
pre-heated oven for 55-60 minutes until the top is beautiful golden
brown.

Detach the spring foam pan sides and
allow to cool. Slice into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature. Not chilled.

Making your first pie pastry, sugar or otherwise is a lot like going scuba diving for the first time.

My first experience scuba diving was at the Great Barrier Reefs. I was so excited, it was something I had wanted to do a long time and couldn't wait. Have spent hours on the boat from Cairns to finally be able to go diving, to see all that coral up close. Wow!

So with the help of the PADI instructors I get all geared up - they ask me to lower myself into the water and I start breathing through the mouth thingy and the minute I hit the water, I pull out my mouth thingy and start trying to breathe through my nose - underwater. Needless to say - it didn't work, I panicked and I almost gave up.

Then my PADI instructor said something that stayed with me all these years - he said, "If you give up now, you'll never forgive yourself and you'll never forget it. Diving is all about the mind. Stay in the water, hold on to the side of the boat and talk to yourself till you get comfortable and try again"

I am very glad I did - because there is NOTHING and I mean NOTHING compared to being down on the ocean floor holding your first sea cucumber (and your last) or putting your hand in the mouth of a giant clam.

So no matter what your experience baking your first pie pastry has been, its time to strap on your diving equipment, try again and succeed! Having said that - check your diving equipment i.e. your recipe.

Which is why - you won't find a gazillion variations of tart pastry or sweet pastry dough on this blog - nope just 2 - one for fruit tarts and one for quiches. Why? because the only recipes that matters are the ones that don't let you down the night before Thanksgiving when you've been at it for 3 hours and its already 11.00pm and you've tried everything to fix this pastry mess and you can't - it still won't work so, you start over ...... not funny and plays havoc with your confidence (yup - I know, been there-done that).

The difference between the 2 tart pastries is that one is made with butter & sugar which makes it a little crusty and flaky (which I think is wonderful for grilled fruit tarts) and other with lard and salt which is very flaky and wonderful for quiches).

Pulse for upto 25 seconds till a ball has formed. If in 25 seconds the mix is still crumbly & a dough ball has not formed, add 1/2 tbs chilled water and knead again for 25 seconds till a dough ball has formed.

Transfer the dough ball to a lightly floured surface and using the heel of your palms, knead the dough 3-4 times. This process is called fraisage and gives that wonderful flaky crust we all crave.

Flatten dough ball between palms, lightly flour the surface, wrap it in cling wrap and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes till it is cold (this will make it easier to roll out) Remove from the refrigerator, discard the cling wrap and sprinkle with 1 tbs flour.

For a double pie crust, divide the dough into 2 parts - one slightly larger than the other.

Return the smaller pie dough ball to the refrigerator.

Begin working on the larger dough ball.

Begin to roll out the pastry. Using a rolling pin, apply light pressure while rolling outwards from the center of the dough.

Every once in a while you may need to gently lift under the dough with your fingers to make sure it is not sticking. Also, turn the pastry a quarter turn every once in a while so it is rolling out uniformly. As the edges fray, pinch with finger and continue rolling.

Once in a while place the baking pan (spring foam or tart pan) to make sure you've rolling a large enough pastry:

If you are using a spring foam pan (like I am) you will need a pastry 1-1/2" large than the diameter of the base.

If you are using a tart pan (preferably one with a pop-up bottom) roll 2-1/4" larger than the diameter of the bottom.

Lift the pastry off the bottom and wrap around the rolling pin. Pull the spring foam/tart pan closer to you and drape the pastry over it as best you can.

OR

If the pie crust seems a little too fragile to lift off or if you're getting the jitters, try this fool proof method -

Separate the sides of the spring foam pan from the base. Place the over the rolled crust just to make sure your have an idea of the center. Gently life the polled crust and insert the base under the rolled crust.

Fold the sides on the pastry into the base. Attach the sides and lift the sides up.

Adjust the pastry so it is more or less in the center of the pan. Mold the pastry to the sides of the pan.

Using 2 fingers gently press the sides of the pastry to the sides of the pan. Using a knife, trim the edges of the pastry in straight line.

Now that the pastry is sitting pretty in the pan (don't fret it'll be fine)

Refrigerate while preparing the filling and you are ready for the next step.

Cook's Note - I want to draw your attention to the fact that I have used only 1-2 tbs sugar (not 3/4 cups as some recipes call for) - this is very important point - the more sugar you put in the pastry the harder the handling because softer the dough which is why most of us have had our share of pastry disaster stories.

Knead for 25 seconds till a ball has formed. If in 25 seconds the mix is still crumbly & a dough ball has not formed, add 1/2 tbs chilled water and knead again for 25 seconds till a dough ball has formed.

Flatten dough ball between palms, wrap it in cling wrap and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes till it is cold (this will make it easier to roll out) Remove from the refrigerator, discard the cling wrap and sprinkle with 1 tbs flour.

For a double pie crust, divide the dough into 2 parts - one slightly larger than the other. Return the smaller pie dough ball to the refrigerator.

Begin to roll out the pastry. Using a rolling pin, apply light pressure while rolling outwards from the center of the dough.

Every once in a while you may need to gently lift under the dough with your fingers to make sure it is not sticking. Also, turn the pastry a quarter turn every once in a while so it is rolling out uniformly. As the edges fray, pinch with finger and continue rolling.

Once in a while place the baking pan (spring foam or tart pan) to make sure you've rolling a large enough pastry:

If you are using a spring foam pan (like I am) you will need a pastry 1-1/2" large than the diameter of the base.

If you are using a tart pan (preferably one with a pop-up bottom) roll 2-1/4" larger than the diameter of the bottom.

Lift the pastry off the bottom and wrap around the rolling pin. Pull the spring foam/tart pan closer to you and drape the pastry over it as best you can.

OR

If the pie crust seems a little too fragile to lift off or if you're getting the jitters, try this fool proof method -

Separate the sides of the spring foam pan from the base. Place the over the rolled crust just to make sure your have an idea of the center. Gently life the polled crust and insert the base under the rolled crust.

Fold the sides on the pastry into the base. Attach the sides and lift the sides up to adhere to the sides of the pan.

Adjust the pastry so it is more or less in the center of the pan. Mold the pastry to the sides of the pan.

Mold the pastry to the sides of the pan.

Using 2 fingers gently press the sides of the pastry to the sides of the pan. Using a knife, trim the edges of the pastry in straight line. If using a tart pan, trim the edges using the edge of the tart pan as a guide.

The sugar pastry tart is now ready for the next step. Refrigerate while preparing the filling.

April 01, 2010

When I woke up yesterday morning, I had no idea that my day would consist of making candied orange peels. My desire to fix a traditional wholegrain ricotta pie from Campania for Easter this year requires these delightful peels in the filling. Unfortunately candied fruits & peels though easily available during the holiday seasons seem to have disappeared from grocery market shelves the rest of year here in the US.

That was at least the case in my town where calls to several fine food stores were in vain. Fortunately my Mr. Hubby loves and I mean loves his oranges. He is also a whiz at peeling. He turns it into a fine art. Since his daily ritual includes demolishing 2 navel oranges, I not only asked him to photograph his peeling technique but also reserve the peels for me.

This is how he effortlessly and easily peels his oranges -

What can I say? An image is worth a thousand words!

Gather the peels and remove the excess pith from the underside .

Weigh the oranges on the kitchen scale. Why? To determine the sugar quantity to be used based on the weight. I use 1-1/2 times the weight of the peels.

Since my kitchen scale reads 4 oz, we will be using 6 oz of sugar for the syrup (extra sugar for the rolling)

Slice the peels into 1/4" wide strips. If you want to get rid of the bitterness trim each strip so its about 1/8" thick, getting rid of the pith. This
is especially if you do not like the slightly bitter undertone that
will come from the pith.

Since I quite like the slightly bitter
taste, I have omitted this step.

Place the peels in enough water to completely cover the peels.

Bring to a boil and immediately turn out the peels in a sieve discarding all the water.

Refill with pan with the peels & cold tap water and repeat this process 3 times.

Repeat 3 times. Why? Because this blanching process will help get rid of the excess bitterness from the peels. For optimum results this process needs to occur 3 times.

On medium heat, bring a cup of water and the sugar (by weight) to simmer. Simmer for 8-9 minutes.

Cover the pan and simmer for about 35 minutes. Do not stir or you may form sugar crystals in the syrup. You can shake the entire pan but that is all.

Sieve out the sugar syrup in a bowl. Refrigerate in a spare bottle once cooled as a basis for iced tea. Yummy!

Pour out some sugar - about 3/4 cup or so in a bowl. Roll the orange peels in the sugar one by one till crusted.

Cook's Note - If you are going to store these for future use, dry these on a rack so they completely lose their moisture.

Since I am using all of my peels in a pie, I am going to dry them on a parchment lines baking tray.

Dry them for at least 5-6 hours if using in a pie or a cake. Dry for 24 hours for future use & to store.

Cook's Note - For little bites of heaven, dip these to half their lengths in a dark chocolate sauce and turn these into instant dessert sticks!

And what you end up with is this -

I have been stealing a few of these as I have been walking past them (couldn't resist) and they are delicious. I can't wait to chop them up and use them for the pie.

Here's a trick I want to share.

I am going to start collecting the orange peels in a zip lock bag and store them in the freezer. When the bag is full, I can make a whole bunch of peels at a time and not have to deal with peeling a mountain of oranges all at once!

Also I just left them out to dry since I fixed these and they are really dry & stiff now and would be awesome with some chocolate dipping sauce - which is what I'll do with a few this evening after dinner.

Since this is step one towards our Easter Ricotta Pie from Campania, see you tomorrow when we put these peels to even better use!